Garden Visit : Hermannshof, Weinheim

"Warum in die Ferne schweifen, sieh, das Gute liegt so nah"   - appropriating Goethe, we visited Schau- und Sichtungsgarten Hermannshof, not over in England but on our doorstep, 60 km down south in Weinheim, a German private botanical garden, owned by the Freudenberg family since the 19th century.

This garden has a completely different microclimate, mediterranean and with the ability to grow many exotic and rare plants. Close to the entrance they cultivate plants that neither of us had ever heard of: e.g. Dysosma "China-leaf" in at least four different species. 

Dysosma 

Further down into the garden, we found many more unusual plants or unusual use of plants. 

 Peucedanum officinale looks a bit like fennel, parts of it have been used as medicine since the 17th century. I had never heard of it before. 

something poking up through Angels' Hair

    something familiar: Federmohn "Coral Plume"

the wrong time of year for blue-bells - these are ageratums !

thriving Echinaceae

We came away impressed and with many ideas for our own garden, e.g. the Ageratum underplanting, a yellow flowering Kirengeshoma from the Hydrangea-family to try out and some high growing Bistorta in different colours - and Paul with ideas for exports for his clients in Spain ...

many Bistorta in shades of red, pink and white